Trolley conveyer



J. E. MCBRIDE Feb. 16 1926. l

TROLLEY CONVEYER Filed Jan. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 track is vertically curved and the trolley is' Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JESSE E. MUBRIDE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PALMER-BEE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN;

TROLLEY CONVEYER.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn E. McBRmn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley Conveyers, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invent-ion relates to trolley conveyers and refers more particularly to the power propelled type of trolley conveyer. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a conveyer in which an I-beam track supports a power propelled trolley which is secured to a flexible draft connection instead of being merely propelled thereby by a projecting finger or pusher. Other objects are the provision of a conveyer in which the trolley is provided with means for limiting its upward movement relative to the track; in which the provided with means engageable with the track for maintaining the trolley in a substantially radial position relative to the curve of the track; and in which the trolley is attached to the chain by a link connecting pin so that the side frames of the trolley are free to rotate on this pin removing any eccentric or any other stresses on the adjacent link connecting pin other than due to the straight pull of the chain. Afurther oloject of the invention ,is the provision of means upon the trolley for catching dirt falling from the track lto thereby protect the work being carried by the trolley.

With these as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of constructionand combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Tn the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a power propelled trolley conveyer embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional pl-an view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure l; Y

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modifiedV construction; A

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion on the track.

1 is an I-beam track curved in a vertical plane, and 2 is the trolley suspended from the track and having the spaced side frames 3 and 47 preferably of T-shaped cross section,

endsof the side frames 3 and 4 respectively.

9 is a pin preferably mounted rotatably in and extending between the lower ends of the side frames 3 and 4. n

10 is the propelling chain secured to the trolley for advancing the same along the track.` This chain has the links 11 and 12 which are rotatably connected to the pin 9 so that the latter constitutes a link connecting pin. The link connecting pins engaging the Aopposite ends of. the links 11 and 12 extend at right angles to the pin 9, the arrangement being such that the propelling chain is flexible in both horizontal and vertical directions. 13 is a depending clevis which preferably rotatably engages the central portion of the pin 9 between the bifurcations 14 of the link 12, these bifurcations being einbraced by the bifurcations 15 of theA link 11, the arrange-ment being such that but very limited movement of the parts between the side frames is possible.

In the event that the weight carried by the trolley is not suiicient to counteract the tendency of the propelling chain to straighten out while the trolley ispassing around a depressed portion of the I-beain track, the trolley tends to'move upwardly relative to the track. This upward movement is, however, prevented by suitable anti-friction means upon the trolley engageable with the underside of the track. As shown in Figure 1 particularly this anti-friction means comprises the pair of rollers 16, each of which is journalled on the separator bushing 17 eX- l tending between the side frames 3 and 4 and holding the same spaced apart and surroundng the bolt 18, the threaded end of` which is engaged by the nut 19 for securing the side frames against the ends of the separator. These rollers coming into engagement with the lower side of the track prevent any further upward movement of the trolley, and since there are rollers upon oppo-site sides of the vertical plane passing through the axes of the supporting rollers 5 and', the trolley is maintained in a substantially radial position relative to the curve of the track and prevented from movpeiling chain when.passing'through' the ver.-

tical curves.

Since' the work'is ,carriedl directly under-i neath `thefibeam itrack'and the action. off' the supporting .rollers 'on the lower j flanges of the track producea metallicdustland .since` these rollers mightalso push 'offilother dirt which has settledon the lower 'iia'nges,

itis very important-f tojliavelprovision for catching the; dirt to protect the. wV being carried by; the' conveyer especially *if the work, is .being painted. or enamelled; I" ll-ith I vthis object view, I have providedA the horizontally extending shelves A 2Q `priefl'e'rably Acast integralfxwith the .side frames S'and 4 respectively :fand located below'v the ,1 -beam track and `extending, there-beneath l and laterally beyond the Aperipheries of; the supportingv rollers 5 A and 6, the arrangement being such that any dirt caused to fall from `'the track by .the rollers or falling from the 'v rollers will fall upon these shelves.

For the' purpose of lmaintaining the trolley in a vertical position whileits supporting rollers are passing over the gap between the stationary I-beam track 1 and the adjustable portion of the I-beam track 21 upon the take-up carriage carrying an end sprocket over which the propelling chain passes, I have provided the guide 22 below the adjacent ends of the tracks l and 21 and preferably formed of angle bars. These bars are positioned to engage the sliding shoes 23 upon the lower ends of the side frames 3 and 4 and to support the trolley While passing from one track to the other. In the present instance, I have shown the bars in position to support the trolley with its supporting rollers raised from the lower flanges of the tracks, although it li-s apparent that the trolley may be supported in some lower position. Each shoe is preferably formed of a lateral flange integral with its respective trolley side frame and `having' upturned ends. Since each shoe has an extended longitudinal bearing upon its angle bar and since the propelling force applied to the trolley is immediately above the bearing surfaces of the shoes, the trolley will be maintained in vertical position.A

In the modified construction shown in Figure 4, 24 is an I-beam track and 25 the trolley suspended therefrom and having spaced side frames which are rigidly connected to the attachment link 26 of the propelling chain 27. For limiting the up- Ward movement of the trolley relative to the I-bearn track, I have provided the roller 28 adapted to engage the underside of the track and located intermediate the spaced side frames of the trolley and having its axis of rotation in vertical alignment with Vleysuspended V.from said -;'trac`k at' .one longil tudina'l-.fpoint in its length, and means upon s-a'idtrolley, loffset rom'ftlie l vertical 'plane Athrough .the pointro@Suspension of said trolleyfa-nd 'engageable' with said 'track for :limiting -the upl ard f niovement .of said itrolley, relative'tos'saidtraek;

c' {."The combination with a traek,:-of.- a po-wer vpropelledtrolley'suspended `from said trackat one ,longitudinal point' in its length,

means .secured to, said trolley, for "pi-opelling the same, and .means upon ,said trolley, offset fronrth'e 'verticalplane through the point of suspensionof sai'dft lleyand engageable with 4 said track for'fjlv-nnziting the upward movement -ofj saidjtrolleyrelative to said track. y

f3; The '.co'mbination-'with a track, of a trolley suspended from said track at one longitudinal point in its length, and an'antifriction. member upon said trolley, offset from the verticall plane through the point of suspension of said trolley and engageable with said track for limit-ing the upward movement of said trolley relative to said track.

4. 'lhecon'ibination with a track, of a trolley suspended from said track at one longitudinalpoint in itslength, and means upon opposite sides of the vertical plane through the point of suspension of said trolley engageable with said track for limiting the upward movement ofsaid trolley relative to said track.

The combination with a track, of a trolley suspended from said track at one longitudinal point in its length and having a `supporting roller inengagement therewith, and rollers upon said trolley and at' opposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the axis of said supporting roller, said last-mentioned rollers being enga'geable with the under side of said track for limiting the upward movementof said trolley relative to saidtrack.

6. The combination with a track curved in substantially the vertical plane, of a power propelled'trolley suspended from said track at one longitudinal point in its length, means secured to said trolley for propelling the same, and means upon said trolley and at opposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the point'of suspension of said trolley engageable with the lower side of said track for limiting the upward movement of said trolley relative to said track.

7 The combination with atrack having a central web and outstanding track flanges and curved in a substantially vertical plane, of a power propelled trolley suspended from said track flanges at one longitudinal point in Vtheir lengths and comprising side frames, rollers upon said side frames engaging the lower fianges, said rollers having their axes inthe same plane, rollers upon said side frames below said track and engageable with the lower side thereof for limiting the angular movement of said trolley relative to said track, and a draft connection secured to said trolley.

8. The combination with a track, of a trolley supported upon said track andy including a frame and means rigid with said frame adjacent to and below said track for catching and. retaining dirt falling from said track.

9. The combination with a track, of a trolley suspended from said track and including a side plate, a support for said side plate engaging said track, and a shelf uponv said side plate below said track and support and extending beyond said support.

10. The combination with a track, of a trolley suspended vfrom said track and including'a side plate, a roller carrying said side plate and engaging said track, and a horizontally extending shelf below said track and roller and extending beyond the periphery otsaid roller.

11. The combination with a track, of a trolley suspended from said track and including spaced side frames, supports for said side frames in engagement with said track, a pin connecting said side frames below said track, chain links jpivotally engaging said pin intermediate said side frames, and a load sustaining member engaging the central portion of said pin.

12. The combination with a track, of a power propelled trolley suspended from said track and including spaced side frames, supports at the upper ends of said side frames engaging said track, a rotatable pin extending between the lower ends o't said yside frames, chain vlinks pivotally connected to said pin intermediate said side trames, and

a clevis rotatably engaging said pin inter-` mediate said chain links.

13. The combination with a track, ot' a trolley suspended from said track and including spaced side frames, rollers at the upper ends of said side frames for supporthaving a gap between their adjacent ends, of

a trolleyv adapted to be suspended from said tracks, a -member upon said trolley provided with an extendedv bearing surface, and a guide below said tracks adapted to engage the bearing surface of said member and support the trolley while passing over the'. gap

between the ends of said tracks.

15. The combination with aligned tracks having a gap between their ends, of a trolley adapted to be suspended from said tracks and including a side trame and a supporting roller engageable with said tracks and carrying said side frame, a guide below the gap between the ends of said tracks, and a sliding shoe upon said side frame engageable with said guide and adapted to carry said trolley while passing over the gap.

16. The combination with aligned tracks having a lgap between their ends, of a trolley adapted to be suspended from said tracks and comprising side frames and rollers upon said side frames and adapted to engage said tracks, bars below the gap between the ends of said tracks, sliding shoes upon the lower ends of said side `frames engageable with said bars and adapted to ycarry said trolley while passing over the gap between the track ends, and a propelling chain connected to saidtrolley adjacent to said sliding shoes.,

17. The combination with a track, oi' a trolley suspended from said track, means engagcable with said track for supporting `said trolley and means engageable with said track for limiting the upward movement o'f said trolley relative to said track, one of said means being atopposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the other means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' JESSE E. MCBRIDE. 

